After the Music Fades
by Laughing Cat
Summary: One shot vignette. SportSteph How does Sportacus feel after he's saved the day and it's time to return home? Rated T for mature thoughts, otherwise suitable as K.


**Disclaimer**: LazyTown and all assorted characters belong to LazyTown Entertainment.

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**After the Music Fades**

_Laughing Cat_

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Sportacus sighed internally as the music ended and Stephanie bounced up from where she had fallen in his embrace. Still high from the ringing notes of 'Bing Bang,' she bounced a few feet away before turning to wave and squeal a goodbye. Then she was gone in a flurry of pink, off to write in her fur-covered diary about the days' adventures. Slowly dropping his hand to his side, only then realizing that he had raised it to return her gesture, he smiled and shook his head. Already the others were walking around from their ending poses and returning to what they had been doing before the song had start. From the corner of one eye, he could see Rotten Robbie skulking away to pout in his underground lair while Pixel tried to sneak a spy-bug onto his clothing.

Seeing him standing alone, the mayor advanced with a wide smile. A question was asked, one that he dismissed with a smile and a shake of his head, barely hearing what was said and not understanding a word of it. After two more tries, the mayor's smile widened and the elder man patted his back before turning to wish Bessie Busybody a good day.

This was how his day often ended in LazyTown, standing alone on a sidewalk or podium, watching Stephanie twirl away in a flutter of pink clothing and white teeth. "Stephanie," he whispered once the mayor left his side to return to his office and duties, the word more accented than usual. Sportacus' accent always seemed to grow worse when he was around her. He was never quite sure how to act around this woman-child, this eternal innocent. Ever since the day he had been enlisted by Mayor Milford to help the children become more active he had been captivated by her. Of course the man had picked up on it in his own, bumbling way, using the slightly-above-average superhero's attraction for his niece to ensure that the man would always be there to protect the children.

After shaking Ms. Busybody's hand, he turned to leave, doing an extra flip at the thought that Stephanie might be watching, might have glanced over her shoulder one last time before entering her house. Though she tried to get him to relax, her efforts were wasted. Seeing her vibrancy, watching her dance made him want to try harder stunts, achieve the impossible with his twists and turns. She made him want to strut like a rooster before a particularly attractive chicken. Smile widening, he twirled his finger through half of his stick-straight mustache before climbing the ladder that dropped down beside him. She was a chicken, wasn't she? And though she had grown so tall since she had arrived, she still had much more growing to do before she would gain her final plumage and become a hen. She would probably always remain an innocent in heart and mind, he decided, pulling up his rope after him, feet looped in a hidden hold. But her body, ah—that would grow to be something else entirely.

Once inside his ship, he began the gymnastics routine that would allow him his dinner, peckish from the stress of the day. Stephanie had gotten into mischief, of course, and none of her own making. Stephanie—he wondered if she knew that he was always looking for her, even when his crystal wasn't flashing in danger. He would continue to look out for her for as long as he could, whenever he could. Already, he could barely remember what his days were like before meeting her; it seemed impossible to imagine an entire day passing without his heart racing at the thought of what new, small danger the pink haired girl had gotten into. After all, he was only a slightly-above-average superhero. The small dangers mattered as much as the larger ones to him.

Looking around his pristine white ship as an apple popped out of its place in the fruit dispenser and flew into the air, he idly decided that the room looked too cold and clinical. Maybe he would find some flowers the next time he was in LazyTown. Catching the round fruit in one hand, he lifted it to his teeth, lips curling away as he bit into crisp, tangy flesh. As the clean taste of apple ran over his tongue and down his throat, he though that the flowers should be pink.

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**AN:** If you've gotten this far, you've obviously read, but I would appreciate it if you also reviewed. This scene doesn't take place during any particular episode, but rather is about what happens after said episodes are over and it's time for Spartacus to return home. 


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